Results of the startups acceleration program SEED in the Belo Horizonte entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem

Abstract

Objective of the study: Analyze results perceived by managers and SEED participants regarding their actions as an agent for fostering the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem of startups in Belo Horizonte.
Methodology/approach: Qualitative descriptive research, through individual interviews with managers, participating startups and former program participants, selected by intentional criteria of accessibility and convenience.
Originality/Relevance: Managerial and academic relevance for being the first study to present real data on results obtained by SEED, in the light of the perception of managers and participants.
Main Results: SEED is effective in its role as the main startup acceleration program in Brazil, maintained by public funds. Greater investment, improvement in the choice of mentors and accelerators with more practical capacity and experience in innovation and entrepreneurship, and creation of an official mechanism that maintains relations with former participants can raise SEED to a global scale.
Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: Academic relevance due to the novelty of the approach and scope of the research, and because it is a current theme that has been consolidated in the universe of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Social/Management Contributions: Management relevance for validating results achieved by SEED, generating profits for startups when reaching their maturity. As a social relevance, it impacts the development of companies and the region, providing tax collection and job creation, justifying its nature of organization maintained with public resources.